Why are people boycotting Boots? Are you?

[Deadbeatex]

For full disclosure I haven't seen the advert yet, but I'll probably end up searching for it if I don't come across it naturally during viewing in the next few days.

I've seen the #boycottboots and have worked out it's to do with their new Christmas ad. What's the issue? Are you boycotting Boots or do you think people are overreacting?

Randomly choosing the poll options simply because as stated I've not seen the ad so I don't currently have an opinion either way

YABU I'm boycotting
YANBU it's an overreaction

Please look at her coronation remark in context. It has been posted on here already, two or three times.

Whatever you think of that, and I understand what she meant, it has nothing to do with the Boots advert which I think is quite witty and entertaining.

Their black friday deals are AMAZING

Yeah, I quite like them as a shop.

Seen it, didn't bother me. Like all adverts these days, covering all bases to match the demographic of their customer base.

If there is a call to ban Boots, I can only assume it's from the more reactionary Dailymail reading part of the population who picked up on something obscure. They call out offence at almost anything.

Fortunately for us I don't think it is like any kind of America whatsoever.

Sex is a protected characteristic. I suspect that if a drag artiste parodied a particular female she might have a case for damages under the Equality Act.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is the fact this advert is predominantly aimed at women and let's face it- it's women who usually do all the work at Christmas. With the children, Santa (as well as dad to some degree) gets all the credit when it's usually mum who runs ragged sorting out all the presents. I found it a clever nod to that also. It's a woman who is organising it all- as usual!

And by doing so it perpetuates a sexist stereotype.

Not sure we should be celebrating inequality with a cheery Christmas ad though.
Id rather see Santa Claus and Mrs Claus happily mucking in together
Maybe even Mrs Claus gets her own sleigh and reindeers…I mean how does he deliver all those presents on his own anyway.

It would have been really good if a bloke had done all the christmas shopping and smashed it but not in a LOOOK MEN CAN DO IT TOO way. Just in a normal doing the christmas shopping way

How many drag shows have you seen?
All those I've seen - apart from the songs - the butt of the jokes has been men in general and particular men singled out in the audience. The loudest laughs have come from women.

It’s not the same at all. Please educate yourself. Black face isn’t because they identify as a black person.

Drag acts don't identify as women!

Oh dear…if you don’t want to buy anything sold by a man, you may not find shopping very easy anymore. Hope you don’t like Amazon. Or Maybeline. Or are planning to buy anyone a Barbie doll. And you don’t want to know Victoria’s Secret.

Not all of them, no. Some do- that’s why many on drag race ended up getting surgeries. But obviously they can’t all be lumped together, each is their own person with their own reasons. But the reason is not because they’re trying to insult women or mock them.

Perhaps the motivation isn't to mock, maybe it's more like Rachael Dolezal. Or that senator who claimed to be part Native American.

Well, they're the ones paying for their cosmetic surgeries, so no skin off my nose there! Good luck to them.

According to Chat GBT around 80% of drag queens are gay. Even without checking this you can tell from watching shows that represent them (e.g. Ru Paul’s drag race), or actually speaking to someone in the LGBTQ+ community (like myself.) Yes, not all drag queens are gay. But to say they’re not discriminated against based on sexuality is a flat out lie.

Ah I didn't realise that. So they identify as homosexual men. Ok, I stand corrected. I did wonder if this thread was started as a daily mail bait thing. To frame this as a trans issue rather than a gay one.

Re: the LBGT community: I have family and friends in that community, and you cannot tell someone's orientation just by looking at them in many cases. The fashions have changed, it's not about looking like The Village People anymore or dancing in heels to Streisand. Hence my confusion.

Wonderful thing about the internet, especially MN, is you learn something new every day.

I appreciate you being willing to hear me out- there’s far too many keyboard warriors that refuse to see other viewpoints. I knew you weren’t being homophobic but I didn’t want misinformation on here, that’s all.

You're very welcome!

I agree with you on not knowing from face value. My husband is straight but can be quite flamboyant, and our two best friends are a gay couple. One of them points out the only thing gay about him is who he wants to stick his willy in, as he doesn’t fit the “stereotype” at all. When we’re out together people assume I’m married to the one who doesn’t fit the stereotype, and my husband is the one in the gay marriage!

Someone mentioned the Sainsbury’s advert from a few years ago featuring a black family.
If someone said that was terribly black compared to previous adverts (a fact) would it be seen in a positive light?

I'm very far from subscribing to the notion that people who aren't white can't be racist, but white is the default still, so I think the equivalence to criticising a black family just isn't there.